Opinion
Obama got carried away
Hanoch Daum
Published: 19.11.09, 18:45
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1. When are the units going to be ready ???
Norman   (11.19.09)
2. Letter with a lot of insight I hope Obama will read it
Harry   (11.19.09)
3. LOL Hanoch
Lior ,   Israel   (11.19.09)
I wrote him a letter as well and it was not nearly as polite. The gloves are off. Face it Obama is merely walking in the shoes of Bush but taking more obnoxious hypocritical steps. Not one president did one thing about the Embassy Act which paved the way for a future president like Obama with eyes on appeasement to all the wrong people for all the worst reasons. Obama is singing a song of salacious pronouncements to a massive choir who are echoing his voice. Again I say, lies are the new truth and truth has been thrown to the dustbin of history. ( which no one cares about anyway...) and there lies the rub.
4. daom is wrong
marcel   (11.19.09)
Obama did not get carried away.Doam is wrong.Obama sides with the so called palestinians and in particular moslems. That is his right. He has chosen the arabs. Notice his in, our view, gross bow to king fahd of saudi arabia. He is against settlements, he believes israel stole the land and likely sees an eventual palestine with a jewish minority which olmert basically accepted. Israelis have to fight for their land and defend it because no one in particular the US will fight for it. Obama is not a coward like olmert and ramon. No he had guts but is finding his way in his first days. His close friendship with rashidi tells the whole story.They were joined at the hip. Smart diplomacy is needed.As sharon warned bush, Israel will not be a checkpslovakia. Well, under olmert, it had become a laughing stock, pathetic even if the EU, russia and US praised it. Israel needs stalwards, independent fighters who will not flinch like lieberman, landau, peled, begin, yaalon. Bibi vaccillates but is better than olmert by a 1000. Barak is weak nationally but good at defense. Vulnai is good. Livni is weak. Mofaz is a lousy general and would not be a good PM. Belin, peres, sarid, are dreaming in technicolor on their ideas for peace. War is more likely.
5. Obama didn't get "carried away". He's an Israel hater.
Chaim ,   Israel   (11.19.09)
One could argue that Obama got "carried away" with his absurd demand on Gilo if it was exceptional. However, for Obama, this absurd demand is very much in sync with his anti-Israel agenda. It is in line with other destructive demands he's placed on Israel. It is in line with his disgusting "shoe" photo while talking to Bibi. And his disgusting treatment of Israeli leaders in general. The article ended on the right note. Israel must start acting like a sovereign state.
6. OPEN LETTER
DAVID ,   SOUTH AFRICA   (11.19.09)
Was this letter edited, ignorance will forever remain a disease.
7. Excellent!!!
leo ,   usa   (11.19.09)
8. Putting US in our place?
Marlene N. ,   New York/USA   (11.19.09)
I beg to differ with the author, but it is Israel who needs to be put in ITS place, and unfortunately, the United States has been extremely laxed about it to the point of ad nauseam. This is actually the problem; that the United States has virtually given a green light for Israel to do as it pleases, and Israel has taken full advantage of that, notably, by the ending of this article. Obama thus far has not proved himself any different than Bush, only that he speaks much better and, doesn't stumble over his words. It's amazing that Israel has any complaints about him. Still waiting for a President with some backbone who believes in the rule of law, and equality, which is something that Israel does not engage in, and something which Obama, of all people, should relate to and find despicable.
9. WOW! I wish I said that!!! GREAT Writing
Israeli 2   (11.19.09)
10. Well written. This should be---
Ely Greenhut ,   Tzfat Israel   (11.19.09)
Posted in the NY Times Washington Post, CBS, ABC, NBC CNN, BBC & every other big news media that is anti Israel.
11. obama
jeremy ,   hula vallley kibbutz   (11.19.09)
Wonderful piece thank you
12. :: Hanoch Daum is mistaken on...
Matty Groves ,   Fairport   (11.19.09)
Hanoch Daum is mistaken on one major point. We really have to move beyond this misconception that Israel is a sovereign state. There are several reasons as to why Israel is not a sovereign state. For example Israel has no recognized and defined borders and is not recognized by many countries. However the main reason that Israel is not a sovereign state (but rather a 'client state') is because America dictates Israel local and foreign policy. 'Dictates' might sound like a harsh word so think of America as the parent and Israel as a child who receives pocket money from the parent and the parent has the responsibility to tell the child what s/he can and cannot do. Be it selling military technology to China (America said 'no') or attacking Iran (America said 'no - not going to happen') or more minor issues like the Nahar Hayarden Bridge project Israel needs American approval. Israel sold it's 'sovereign rights' a long time ago for American support, aid and protection. Until such time as Israel/America cut the apron strings Israel will have to heed to American decisions and diktats. Can anyone remember the first/last time Israel put America 'in its place'? No? Neither can I.
13. Thank you, Hanokh. I just hope he listens. But with J Street
Eitan ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (11.19.09)
members as his personal guards, I suspect he may not... P.S. At this rate he may claim soon that Jerusalem is not part of Israel because the UN designated it to be an international enclave. And then again, if it is an international enclave, Gilo can't be part of any future Palestinian Arab entity, so why even bring the subject up. But, then again, he may also listen to his heart, the one that followed Rev. Wright for so many years, and perhaps to that which he heard from his old friend, Min. Farakhan.
14. advice to Obama
Richard P. Ebstein ,   Efrat Israel   (11.19.09)
very well said
15. Don't Make MIstakes When Criticizing The President
Brandon ,   Herzliya, Israel   (11.19.09)
Hanoch, I'm writing to YOU from the Holy Land. If you are going to criticize the President, make sure you don't look like a fool. The President said that if Israel continues to build in Gilo, it will hurt Israel's national security. Your article says "You [Obama] say that if we STOP building in Gilo...Israel will become a less safe place..." Get it right Hanoch. I am grateful that your letter will not make it past the spam filter of the White House...lest Israel makes a fool of herself once again...this time from a respected writer. Why don't you focus on the fact that less than one year ago, the number one item on Israel's Foreign Policy agenda was the Peace Process, and today that same Peace Process doesn't make the top 5. Netanyahu, like Machiavelli long ago, will say or do anything to remain in power; while your safety, my safety and the safety of all Jews in Israel is put at risk by ignoring the Palestinians. Stay a writer Hanoch, leave diplomacy and foreign policy to those with the chutzpah to make difficult decisions every single day.
16. Good Article....but
Dave_US ,   usa   (11.19.09)
I agree with every word you have put in this letter Mr Daum, however I must mention 2 things: 1. The last paragraph regarding putting the US back in its place is not something I deem to be a reasonable statement. After all Israel still LARGELY depends on the financial/military assistance from America. 2. I also would like to mention that decisions to pull out of Gush Katif, dismentle settlements, leave Lebanon and even sign any kind of peace agreements where made by the Israeli leadership. Sure, there may have been the so called international pressure by the actual decision still lied in Israel. While much like you I disagree with Obama's stance, I don't believe that if Israel, its people and its government did not want to pursue a certain path they could be forced to do so by the outside parties.
17. Anti-Semitism or lack of competence?
Ron B. ,   Lod   (11.19.09)
American administration is soft on butchers that rule Iran and desperately seeks dialogue with them, yet it is giving the only democracy in the Middle East, a hard time. Obama is being hard on Israel and yet doesn’t appear to be cracking down on Palestinians for their terrorism against Israel, let alone their refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist. Would’nt it be fair to say that there is a strain of anti-Semitism in the Obama administration? :
18. Israel got carried away when it started the settlements
Tom   (11.19.09)
and it has been drifting ever since.
19. obama
fcd ,   israel   (11.20.09)
has to wake up to reality. he really does NOT understand what is going on in the world. He needs more time to GROW UP and learn to face reality and make decision. The wrong president for such diffifcult times. HE UNDERSTANDS NOTHING. Maybe in a few years he would be the right president. Now he and is crew are TOTAL failures Michella and the girls - return to chicagopand disappear. NO ONE want s to see you or them............
20. Ethiopia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Poland, Ukraine ...
(11.20.09)
21. He should be "carried away" to an insane asylum, locked up
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (11.20.09)
and the key thrown away.
22. the desengagement politic has brought war upon israel
dovdevan ,   ashdod,israel   (11.20.09)
we left lebanon , we left gaza what was the result of this politic of surrender ? our arabs neibourhood interpreted that as weakness they saw our withdrawal as a victory of their terrorist activity ! any future desengagement will have to be done from a position of force we will have to prove once again to hamas hezbollah and iran that they won't get anything from us by force and only after a clear military victory over terrorism we will be able to make peace !
23. TheGreat Letter but Obama is Vindictive
Barak ,   california, USA   (11.20.09)
Thanks for the Great letter but Obama has a deep vindictive aims against the Israeli Jews. When Obama was in China he never request Chinse Occupier not buit in Tibbet, Did not ask Turkey Ocupier not built in Cypress, only the Jews are not allowed to built o their ansesteral land.
24. Shalom from Texas to Gilo
Evi Goldstein ,   san antonio tx   (11.20.09)
Dear Hanoch Daum You article in Jerusalem Post the best of all i hope Mr Obama take time out with his busy schedule and listen to the Israeli people need and the Israeli government.You article it is on the point ,you have the support of the american people.. Shalom my God watch over on Gilo and my God keep Israel safe ,,,
25. Facts on the ground
Rami ,   America   (11.21.09)
means nothing hanoch when you are talking about a solution . German facts on the ground in Paris meant nothing . since 1990 we have been telling you do not build east of the greenline . now ,19 years later ,you are telling me that i am not reasonable .and how dare ,and how blind ..such a low of the lowest class. sorry sir ..call it piracy,theft,provocation ,criminal injustice ...but don't give those BS letters of yours addressed to the president . go and get a real job .
26. When he promised "CHANGE"-to change IL to Pal State
Alan ,   SA   (11.21.09)
27. Put America in its place?
Smith ,   TA, Israel   (11.21.09)
Although I know it is unlikely I hope that this haughty and condecending article makes it to the NSA. That should so thoroughly irritate the American generals that back this country maybe we'll some change. And Gilo isn't part of Jerusalem! I should know, I lived there.
28. Gilo
David R. Evans ,   Vancouver   (11.21.09)
Gilo is outside the Green Line. All building outside the 1967 borders is prohibited by international law: "According to the BBC, the "overwhelming view" of the international community is that the settlements are illegal based upon Article 49 of the Geneva Convention.[67] The consensus view is largely based on UN Security council resolutions, including resolutions 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476 which find the settlements to be illegal.[68] In Resolution 465 the settlements are even described as a "flagrant violation". Separately also the legal arm of the UN, the International Court of Justice, has found the settlements to be illegal under international law.[69] But Israel cares nothing about the laws that it is a signatory to, as Israel intends on expanding and stealing ever more Palestinian lands.
29. Great writeup. Obama is even defying Labor/kadima. Now the
Jae ,   Lynn US   (11.22.09)
only ones hes in step with are meretz (maybe), moaners in black, piece mao, idiotsome watch. essentiall oppossed to 90-98% of Jewish Israelis.
30. Obama got carried away
Emile Tubiana ,   Lehigh Valley   (11.22.09)
Mr Hanoch Daum, You should have written this letter during the US Election compaign. Now you should address a smilar letter to our Jewish brothers, who contributed very strongly to elect him.
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